Sunday, April 21, 2013

Fellowship Bible Church - Guatemala Trip - Day 1


Traveling day is here again, and the team started much earlier today than I did.  The met together at the church at 2:30 and headed for the airport at 3:00 AM.  With the recent events in Boston (the bombing at the Marathon and the pursuit of the bomber), they were not sure how quickly they would make it to Boston and through the airport.  As can be expected, when you leave plenty of time, you have no issues – and so they didn’t.  They ended up waiting at the airport until their 7:30 AM flight, and arriving Houston around 11:00.

I on the other hand left my home around 6:30, stopped at McDonalds for breakfast, and took the 7:30 AM shuttle to Nashville.  I spent 3 ½ hours waiting for my flight (as I encountered very little time delay in getting checked in and through security). 

Soon enough, we were in Houston together.  As I met the team it was obvious that they were tired, but they seemed like they were in good spirits.  First impression – this is a very diverse team, and I think unity will be work this week.  Not because of problems or because of issues, but rather because of the differences in age, personality, and gender.  I could be wrong – as Dee would remind me that I sometimes am – but this is just my first impression.  I do however think that they will be a great team to work with, and I think the familiarity that they have with each other and that many have as returning team members will help unify the team.

We arrived in Guatemala around 9ish, so we made it to Thelma’s right around 10.  Seriously, this is a great start to the week.  Tomorrow we are going to the Fraternidad (the huge church here in Mixco, Guatemala City), and then heading for Los Esclavos – the hotel near Matochos – the child care center we will be working at all week.  Time for bed…

Thought for the day: As I flew from Nashville to Houston, I had a window seat.  It was such a small plane that I actually had both a window and an aisle seat.  Best of both worlds!!  Anyway, as I was looking down on the houses and the properties across our country, I was reminded that they represent many people.  And it struck me – God loves all of these people.  I know – nothing profound, but seriously, I have no problem loving my immediate family, a little problem maybe loving well my extended family, and beyond that, there really isn’t a whole lot of people that I love – or at least love well.  Yeah, I love my team members, I love my friends, but really, how much do I love them?  Would I give up things I value for them?  Maybe some of them.  Would I die for them?  I think that number is quite smaller.

This was profound to me as I contemplated it – God loves PERFECTLY everyone in the world.  He is intimately involved in their daily activity.  He is actively involved in everything that touches them.  And He does it with perfect love.  Even as I write this I cannot comprehend what that really means or what it looks like.  What it does do is remind me of the magnitude of my God and the immense massiveness of His person, His character, His grace, His love… 

He is unbelievable – definitely a thought worth spending a little time on…

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